Yum! Brands announced Tuesday that KFC U.S. headquarters will move out of Louisville and into Plano, Texas, later this year.
Plano is the home of Pizza Hut Global and KFC Global.
Over the next six months, roughly 100 corporate roles will relocate to Texas. And over the next year and a half, 90 remote positions will also relocate to the Lone Star State. Yum! said employees will receive relocation and transition support.
“These changes position us for sustainable growth and will help us better serve our customers, employees, franchisees and shareholders,” Yum! CEO David Gibbs said in a statement. “Ultimately, bringing more of our people together on a consistent basis will maximize our unrivaled culture and talent as a competitive advantage. I’m confident this is another important step in growing our iconic restaurant brands globally.”
Yum! and the KFC Foundation will maintain corporate offices in Louisville. Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill will remain headquartered in Irvine, California. The company said KFC will keep a significant brand presence in Louisville by building a first-of-its-kind flagship restaurant.
KFC founder Harland Sanders was born in Henryville, Indiana, about 20 minutes from Louisville. Yum! has been based in Louisville since 1997.
The chicken giant has undergone several changes as it attempts to reinvigorate its U.S. business. Catherine Tan-Gillespie, currently CMO and chief development officer for KFC U.S., was promoted to president, effective April 1. She has nearly 10 years of experience with the brand. Scott Mezvinsky, who has about 20 years of experience with Yum!, was promoted to KFC Division CEO, effective March 1.
KFC’s U.S. same-store sales fell 5 percent in Q4 and 5 percent in 2024 overall. The brand shuttered a net of 122 restaurants last year, which is by far the highest among Yum!’s U.S. and international segments. The chicken giant has 3,669 domestic restaurants, down from 4,074 at the beginning of 2019.
Government officials weren’t happy about Yum!’s decision. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he is “disappointed by this decision” and that “the company’s founder would be too.”
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg expressed the same sentiment.
“I am disappointed to learn that Yum! Brands will move its KFC employees to Texas — especially since the brand was born here and is synonymous with Kentucky. I’ve asked to meet with the Yum! CEO soon and am heartened Yum! will retain its corporate headquarters and 560 employees here. I will work tirelessly with Yum!’s leadership to continue growing its presence in Louisville,” Greenberg said in a statement.
